Slot machine with symbol sensor and control method thereof

ABSTRACT

In a slot machine, reel bands are fitted to circumferential surfaces of rotatable reels. Multiple symbols drawn on the reel bands and multiple identifiers corresponding to the symbols are disposed on the reel bands at certain intervals in the rotating direction of the rotatable reels. Each of the identifiers includes identification information having a content corresponding to the symbol on the reel band displayed on a display. The identification information is developed in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reels. When reading the identification information out of the identifier located in the position corresponding to the symbol displayed on the display, the sensor is moved in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reel and is caused to read the identification information over the entire length in that direction of the identifier. The symbol displayed in the display is identified according to the identification information thus read out of the identifier.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to co-pending U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/929,031 filed on Jun. 8, 2007, and which is incorporated by reference herein for all purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a slot machine with a symbol sensor and a control method thereof.

2. Description of Related Art

U.S. Pat. No. 4,138,114 discloses a slot machine configured to execute unit games (slot games) by rotating and stopping multiple rotatable reels each of which includes symbols that are printed on a circumferential surface thereof.

In a slot machine using multiple rotatable reels as represented by the above-mentioned slot machine, it is possible to easily change contents and layouts of symbols on the respective rotatable reels substantially by attaching, onto the circumferential surfaces of the respective rotatable reels, new reel bands that include symbols with new contents and layouts printed on surfaces thereof.

In the slot machine using the multiple rotatable reels, a decision as to whether or not a payout should be awarded is made according to the combination of the symbols on the circumferential surfaces of the respective reels viewable through display windows, the symbols aligned as a result of stopping rotation of the rotatable reels in a unit game. Accordingly, in the slot machine using the multiple rotatable reels, it is necessary to detect the symbol viewable through the display window for each of the rotatable reels after all of the rotatable reels are rotated and then stopped.

Concerning such detection of the symbols, U.S. Pat. No. 4,138,114 discloses a technique in which symbols and markings with binary codes for detecting the symbols are drawn on the respective rotatable reels.

Therefore, when changing the contents and the layouts of the symbols on the respective rotatable reels by attaching the above-mentioned reel bands to the respective rotatable reels according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,138,114, it is necessary to attach the reel bands accurately to the rotatable reels so as not to cause misalignment of positions of the symbols on the reel bands and positions of the markings on the rotatable reels.

When the reel bands are not attached to the rotatable reels accurately, the contents of the symbols detected by reading the binary codes of the markings after the rotatable reels are stopped do not match the contents of the symbols actually displayed in the display windows. Occurrence of such a mismatch may cause occurrence of an erroneous payout or nonoccurrence of a payout that should be made.

However, an operation to fit the reel bands accurately to the rotatable reels requires skill, and is extremely complicated. Accordingly, such an operation is not practical.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,074,258 discloses a device that detects a position of a movable member. In this device, multiple identification marks having different contents from each other are written with intervals on a strip-shaped scale connected to the movable member along the moving direction of the movable member. The device reads the identification marks optically in the course of movement of the movable member, and thereby detects a position of the movable member by using the contents of the identification marks thus read out.

However, the related art disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,074,258 is for detecting the position of the strip-shaped scale itself after movement thereof, and hence does not have a relation with detection of symbols printed on a reel band.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid-open Publications Nos. 2003-803, H6-170033, and 2006-187529 disclose slot machines each including one or multiple reel bands, each of which has symbols drawn on the front surface, and bar codes indicating contents of the symbols drawn on the rear surface, and each of which is attached to the outer periphery of a rotatable reel.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H6-246032 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 2772455 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H6-277328) disclose slot machines each including information code marks indicating contents of symbols drawn on either the front surface or the rear surface of a reel band.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-35200 discloses a slot machine including reel bands in each of which a magnetic tape with information recorded therein is attached to the rear surface of the reel band, the information indicating contents of symbols.

All the related arts disclosed in these publications are merely for simply confirming with a readout result of barcodes, information code marks or information recorded on magnetic tapes that symbols matching a predetermined combination are actually displayed in display windows of a slot machine after stopping rotation of rotatable reels.

The related arts disclosed in these publications do not offer any effective countermeasures against a case where a user obtains a fraudulent payout by improperly (intentionally) rotating rotatable reels that has already stopped and thereby improperly aligning on display windows a combination of symbols for providing a payout.

Accordingly, the advent of a slot machine capable of accurately detecting the symbol displayed in a display window as a result of stopping rotation of the rotatable reel has been expected.

In particular, since the rotatable reel may be rotated slightly due to vibration or the like applied from outside even when the rotatable reel is stopped, the advent of a slot machine capable of accurately detecting the symbol displayed in a display window even in the state where the rotatable reel is not completely stopped has been strongly expected.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a slot machine for executing games by use of a rotatable reel having symbols arranged on a circumferential surface, which has high accuracy of detecting symbols in a state where the rotatable reel is stopped, and is to provide a control method thereof.

A first aspect of the present invention provides a slot machine comprising: a rotatable reel being rotatable and stoppable; a reel band fitted to a circumferential surface of the rotatable reel and including a plurality of symbols and a plurality of identifiers respectively positioned corresponding to the symbols, the symbols and the identifiers being drawn on the reel band; a display adapted to display part of the reel band; a sensor configured to read identification information developed in a direction of a rotation axis of the rotatable reel and having a content corresponding to one of the symbols drawn on the part of the reel band displayed in the display out of one of the identifiers positioned corresponding to the symbol displayed in the display; and a controller configured to (a) execute a unit game for rotating and stopping the rotatable reel, (b) move the sensor in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reel when the rotatable reel is stopped, (c) identify one of the symbols displayed in the display according to the identification information read out of corresponding one of the identifiers over an entire length in the direction of the rotation axis by the sensor moved in the direction of the rotation axis when the rotatable reel is stopped, and (d) determine an outcome of the unit game according to the identified symbol.

A second aspect of the present invention provides a slot machine comprising: a rotatable reel being rotatable and stoppable; a reel band fitted to a circumferential surface of the rotatable reel and including a plurality of symbols and a plurality of identifiers respectively positioned corresponding to the symbols, the symbols and the identifiers being drawn on the rotatable reel; a display adapted to display part of the reel band; a sensor configured to read identification information developed in a direction of a rotation axis of the rotatable reel and having a content corresponding to one of the symbols drawn on the part of the reel band displayed in the display out of one of the identifiers positioned corresponding to the symbol displayed in the display by scanning the identifier with a scanning signal; and a controller configured to (a) execute a unit game for rotating and stopping the rotatable reel, (b) move the scanning signal in the direction of the rotation axis when the rotatable reel is stopped, (c) identify one of the symbols displayed in the display according to the identification information read out of corresponding one of the identifiers scanned over an entire length in the direction of the rotation axis with the scanning signal moved in the direction of the rotation axis by the sensor when the rotatable reel is stopped, (d) determine an outcome of the unit game according to the identified symbol, (e) repeatedly move the scanning signal in the direction of the rotation axis during a predetermined period from a stop until a subsequent start of rotations of the rotatable reel, (f) identify the symbols displayed in the display for respective time points of readout by the sensor during the predetermined period according to the identification information read out of the corresponding identifiers by the sensor for the respective movements of the scanning signal in the direction of the rotation axis, and (g) judge whether or not the rotatable reel is rotated during the predetermined period according to the symbols identified for the time points of readout by the sensor during the predetermined period.

A third aspect of the present invention provides a slot machine comprising: a rotatable reel being rotatable and stoppable; a reel band fitted to a circumferential surface of the rotatable reel and including a plurality of symbols and a plurality of identifiers respectively positioned corresponding to the symbols, the symbols and the identifiers being drawn on the reel band; a display adapted to display part of the reel band; a sensor configured to read identification information developed in a direction of a rotation axis of the rotatable reel and having a content corresponding to one of the symbols drawn on the part of the reel band displayed in the display out of one of the identifiers positioned corresponding to the symbol displayed in the display; and a controller configured to (a) execute a unit game for rotating and stopping the rotatable reel, (b) identify one of the symbols displayed in the display according to the identification information read out of corresponding one of the identifiers over an entire length in the direction of the rotation axis by the sensor when the rotatable reel is stopped, (c) determine an outcome of the unit game according to the identified symbol, (d) identify the symbols displayed in the display for respective time points of readout by the sensor during a predetermined period from a stop until a subsequent start of rotations of the rotatable reel according to the identification information read out of the corresponding identifiers over an entire length in the direction of the rotation axis by the sensor during the predetermined period, and (e) judge whether or not the rotatable reel is rotated during the predetermined period according to the symbols identified for the time points of readout by the sensor during the predetermined period.

A fourth aspect of the present invention provides a method of controlling a slot machine, the method comprising the steps of: executing a unit game for rotating and stopping a rotatable reel having a reel band, the reel band fitted to a circumferential surface of the rotatable reel and including a plurality of symbols and a plurality of identifiers respectively positioned corresponding to the symbols, the symbols and the identifiers being drawn on the reel band; moving a sensor in a direction of a rotation axis of the rotatable reel when the rotatable reel is stopped, the sensor configured to read identification information developed in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reel and having a content corresponding to one of the symbols drawn on part of the reel band displayed in the display out of one of the identifiers positioned corresponding to the symbol displayed in the display; reading the identification information out of one of the identifiers positioned corresponding to one of the symbols displayed in the display on the reel band over an entire length in the direction of the rotation axis by the sensor moved in the direction of the rotation axis when the rotatable reel is stopped; identifying the one of the symbols displayed in the display when the rotatable reel is stopped according to the identification information read out by the sensor when the rotatable reel is stopped; and determining an outcome of the unit game according to the identified symbol.

A fifth aspect of the present invention provides a method of controlling a slot machine, the method comprising the steps of: executing a unit game for rotating and stopping a rotatable reel having a reel band, the reel band fitted to a circumferential surface of the rotatable reel and including a plurality of symbols and a plurality of identifiers respectively positioned corresponding to the symbols, the symbols and the identifiers drawn on the reel band; allowing a sensor, which reads identification information developed in a direction of a rotation axis of the rotatable reel and having a content corresponding to one of the symbols drawn on part of the reel band displayed in the display out of one of the identifiers positioned corresponding to the symbol displayed in the display, to move a scanning signal in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reel when the rotatable reel is stopped, the scanning signal output by the sensor for reading the identification information; reading, by the sensor, the identification information out of one of the identifiers over an entire length in the direction of the rotation axis, the identifier positioned corresponding to one of the symbols displayed in the display and scanned with the scanning signal moved in the direction of the rotation axis when the rotatable reel is stopped; identifying the one of the symbols displayed in the display when the rotatable reel is stopped according to the identification information read out by the sensor when the rotatable reel is stopped; determining an outcome of the unit game according to the identified symbol; repeatedly moving the scanning signal in the direction of the rotation axis during a predetermined period from a stop until a subsequent start of rotations of the rotatable reel; identifying the symbols displayed in the display for respective time points of readout by the sensor during the predetermined period according to the identification information read out of the corresponding identifiers by the sensor for the respective movements of the scanning signal in the direction of the rotation axis; and judging whether or not the rotatable reel is rotated during the predetermined period according to the symbols identified for the time points of readout by the sensor during the predetermined period.

A sixth aspect of the present invention provides a method of controlling a slot machine, the method comprising the steps of executing a unit game for rotating and stopping a rotatable reel having a reel band, the reel band fitted to a circumferential surface of the rotatable reel and including a plurality of symbols and a plurality of identifiers respectively positioned corresponding to the symbols, the symbols and the identifiers being drawn on the reel band; reading, by a sensor, identification information out of one of the identifiers positioned corresponding to one of the symbols drawn on part of the reel band displayed in a display over an entire length in a direction of the rotation axis when the rotatable reel is stopped, the identifier developed in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reel and having a content corresponding to the symbol displayed in the display; identifying the one of the symbols displayed in the display when the rotatable reel is stopped according to the identification information read out by the sensor when the rotatable reel is stopped; determining an outcome of the unit game according to the identified symbol; identifying the symbols displayed in the display for respective time points of readout by the sensor during a predetermined period from a stop until a subsequent start of rotations of the rotatable reel according to the identification information repeatedly read out of the corresponding identifiers over the entire length in the direction of the rotation axis by the sensor; and judging whether or not the rotatable reel is rotated during the predetermined period according to the symbols identified for the time points of readout by the sensor during the predetermined period.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of sensor sections used for identifying symbols displayed in display windows of a slot machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention from stopping positions of rotatable reels thereof.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a rotatable reel section of the slot machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a schematic configuration of symbols and sensors disposed on a circumferential surface of the rotatable reel of the slot machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is another explanatory view showing the schematic configuration of the symbols and the sensors disposed on the circumferential surface of the rotatable reel of the slot machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the slot machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a liquid crystal display panel of the slot machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the liquid crystal display panel viewed from the back face thereof.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the liquid crystal display panel of the slot machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the liquid crystal display panel viewed from the front face thereof.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a control circuit of the slot machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing procedures of processing in the slot machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing procedures of another processing in the slot machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing procedures of still another processing in the slot machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing procedures of yet another processing in the slot machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing procedures of yet another processing in the slot machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing procedures of yet another processing in the slot machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory view showing relationships between winning combinations and payouts, respectively, in the slot machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory view showing a schematic configuration of symbols and sensors disposed on a circumferential surface of a rotatable reel of a slot machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is an explanatory view showing a schematic configuration of symbols and sensors disposed on a circumferential surface of a rotatable reel of a slot machine according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a block diagram showing a control circuit of the slot machine according to the second embodiment and the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing procedures of processing in the slot machine according to the second embodiment and the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing procedures of another processing in the slot machine according to the second embodiment and the third embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Now, characteristic features of a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 5. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of rotatable reels and sensor sections used in a slot game with a slot machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a rotatable reel section of the slot machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are explanatory views each showing symbols and identifiers arranged on a circumferential surface of the rotatable reel of the slot machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the slot machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Reel bands 4A to 4C are fitted onto circumferential surfaces of three rotatable reels 3A to 3C shown in FIG. 1 so as to cover entire circumferences thereof. The respective reel bands 4A to 4C can be fitted to the rotatable reels 3A to 3C by adhering back sides of the reel bands 4A to 4C to circumferential surfaces of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C, respectively. As shown in FIG. 2, it is also possible to achieve fitting of the reel bands 4A to 4C to the rotatable reels 3A to 3C by adhering both ends of the respective reel bands 4A to 4C in the rotating direction of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C together to form the respective reel bands 4A to 4C into an annular shape and then attaching these annular reel bands 4A to 4C to the circumferential surfaces of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C, respectively. The respective rotatable reels 3A to 3C having the reel bands 4A to 4C attached to the circumferential surfaces thereof are rotated by corresponding stepping motors 45A to 45C.

As shown in FIG. 1, multiple symbols 5A to 5C are drawn on the front faces of the respective reel bands 4A to 4C while providing certain intervals in the rotating direction of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C. However, some blank spaces are arranged on the front faces of the respective reel bands 4A to 4C instead of the symbols 5A to 5C. Accordingly, the symbols 5A to 5C on the respective reel bands 4A to 4C are not always arranged at constant intervals.

Multiple identifiers 6A to 6C corresponding to the respective symbols 5A to 5C are drawn on the front faces of the respective reel bands 5A to 5C. The respective identifiers 6A to 6C include identification information having contents to be read out to identify contents of the corresponding symbols 5A to 5C. The identifiers 6A to 6C corresponding to the portions where the blank spaces are arranged instead of the symbols 5A to 5C include identification information having contents to be read out to identify that the blank spaces are arranged in the corresponding positions (or that no symbols 5A to 5C are disposed therein). The respective identifiers 6A to 6C are disposed while being shifted by 90° relative to the respective symbols 5A to 5C or the blank spaces corresponding thereto in the rotating direction of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C. Moreover, the identifiers 6A to 6C are disposed so as not to overlap the symbols 5A to 5C or the blank spaces even in a direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C.

The identification information of the respective identifiers 6A to 6C can be read out by use of sensors 7A to 7C corresponding to the respective rotatable reels 3A to 3C. The respective sensors 7A to 7C are disposed close to the corresponding rotatable reels 3A to 3C. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the respective sensors 7A to 7C are supported by sliders 9A to 9C driven by stepping motors 8A to 8C so as to be movable in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C.

The sensors 7A to 7C may be selected from an optical type and a magnetic type depending on configurations of the identifiers 6A to 6C. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, when the identifiers 6A to 6C are bar codes combining multiple bars extending in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C, it is possible to employ an optical pen-type bar code reader (hereinafter referred to as a “pen reader” as appropriate) as the sensors 7A to 7C. As shown in FIG. 4, when the identifiers 6A to 6C are magnetic tapes extending in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C and recording the identification information magnetically reproducibly, it is possible to employ a magnetic reproducing head as the sensors 7A to 7C.

As described above, the identification information of the respective identifiers 6A to 6C is developed in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C irrespective of whether the information is recorded optically or magnetically. Accordingly, the respective sensors 7A to 7C move over the entire lengths of the identifiers 6A to 6C in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C by operations of the sliders 9A to 9C caused by the power from the stepping motors 8A to 8C. In this way, the respective sensors 7A to 7C read the identification information completely from the corresponding identifiers 6A to 6C. The identification information that the respective sensors 7A to 7C read out of the corresponding identifiers 6A to 6C is used for executing a slot game (a unit game). Hence, the rotatable reels 3A to 3C and the sensors 7A to 7C are provided on a slot machine 10 that executes slot games, which is shown in FIG. 5.

The slot machine 10 includes a cabinet 11, a top box 12 disposed above the cabinet 11, and a main door 13 provided to the front face of the cabinet 11. The cabinet 11 includes an upper display 33 and a lower display 16 which are provided on the face facing a player. The lower display 16 is formed of a liquid crystal display panel 17. A configuration of this liquid crystal display panel 17 will be described later with reference to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7.

The lower display 16 is positioned in front of the three rotatable reels 3A to 3C disposed behind a central section of the liquid crystal display panel 17. The central section of the liquid crystal display panel 17 is always set to a transparent display state. In this way, a slot game area A1 is defined in the center of the lower display 16. This slot game area A1 can display part of the symbols 5A to 5C on the reel bands 4A to 4C fitted to the circumferential surfaces of the respective rotatable reels 3A to 3C as will be described later, namely, the number of the symbols that can be displayed in the slot game area A1 being 9 at the maximum. For this reason, the slot game area A1 has display regions equivalent to 3 columns and 3 rows. The respective identifiers 6A to 6C are disposed while being shifted from the respective symbols 5A to 5C in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C. Accordingly, the identifiers 6A to 6C are not to be displayed in the display regions of the slot game area A1.

In the slot machine 10, credits in the number desired by a player are bet for a slot game when the player inserts medals into a medal insertion slot 21 disposed below the lower display 16 or operates any of a MAXBET switch 24, a BET switch 25, and a spin repeat bet switch 26 arranged in the vicinity of the medal insertion slot 21. Thereafter, the three rotatable reels 3A to 3C start rotation when the player operates a start switch 27. In this way, the symbols 5A to 5C displayed in the respective display regions of the slot game area A1 start scrolling. Thereafter, the symbols 5A to 5C stop scrolling as the rotatable reels 3A to 3C stop rotation after a lapse of a predetermined time period. The slot game in the slot game area A1 is executed by rotating and stopping the rotatable reels 3A to 3C as described above. Then, a payout (an award) of credits is provided in the executed slot game in response to a combination of the symbols 5A to 5C stopped on a payline L set on the central row in the slot game area A1.

In the above-described slot game, the sensors 7A to 7C in FIG. 1 read the identification information respectively out of the identifiers 6A to 6C corresponding to the symbols 5A to 5C that are displayed in the slot game area A1 and stopped on the payline L by stopping the rotation of the respective rotatable reels 3A to 3C. Accordingly, it is possible to identify the contents of the symbols 5A to 5C stopped on the payline L by use of the identification information respectively read out of the identifiers 6A to 6C using the sensors 7A to 7C.

As shown in FIG. 5, a touch panel 72 is provided on the front face of the lower display 16. The player can input various instructions by operating this touch panel 72.

Moreover, a payout count display region 48 for displaying a payout count by use of the liquid crystal display panel 17 is provided in a lower left region of the lower display 16.

The above-mentioned medal insertion slot 21 and a bill validator 22 for identifying and accepting legitimate bills are provided below the lower display 16. Moreover, various operation switches are provided in the vicinity of the medal insertion slot 21 and the bill validator 22.

A cash-out switch 23, and the above-mentioned switches, i.e. the MAXBET switch 24, the BET switch 25, the spin repeat bet switch 26, and the start switch 27, are provided as the operation switches.

The BET switch 25 is the switch for allowing the player to determine the number of credits to be bet on the unit game that is to be executed in the slot game area A1. One medal is bet on the unit game every time the player presses the BET switch 25. When the player makes the bet of credits on the slot game, a payout of credits will be provided in a case where the symbols 5A to 5C that satisfy a winning combination are stopped on the payline L in the slot game executed in the slot game area A1 after the bet.

The spin repeat bet switch 26 is the switch for allowing the player to make a bet on a subsequent slot game in the same number of credits as the credits bet in the precedent unit game by using the BET switch 25.

The start switch 27 is the switch to be operated by the player for starting the slot game. When the player operates this start switch 27 after making the bet of a desired number of credits on the slot game, rotation of the three rotatable reels 3A to 3C is started and the slot game in the slot game area A1 is thereby started.

The cash-out switch 23 is the switch for cashing out medals inserted in the slot machine 10. When the player operates this cash-out switch 23, the medals are discharged from a medal payout opening 28 located at a lower part of the front face of the main door 13 and are piled on a medal tray 18.

The MAXBET switch 24 is the switch for betting the maximum number of credits (for example, 30 medals) that the player can bet in one game with a single operation.

A foot display 34 is provided on the lower front face of the main door 13. The foot display 34 displays various images concerning the games of the slot machine 10. The images may include characters of the slot machine 10, for example.

Lamps 47 are provided on both sides of the foot display 34. The lamps 47 glow according to a glowing pattern set in advance when starting a game in the slot machine 10. The medal payout opening 28 is provided below the foot display 34.

The upper display 33 is provided to the front face of the top box 12 and includes a display panel. On the display panel, relations between the winning combinations of the symbols 5A to 5C for providing payouts of credits upon alignment on the payline L and the numbers of payouts of credits to be provided are displayed, for example.

A speaker 29 is provided on the top box 12. A ticket printer 35, a card reader 36, a data display 37, and a keypad 38 are provided below the upper display 33. The ticket printer 35 is for printing on a ticket a bar code with various coded data including the number of credits, date and time, the identification number of the slot machine 10, and the like to output the ticket as a bar-coded ticket 39.

The player is able to play with a different slot machine by allowing this slot machine to read the bar-coded ticket 39, and to exchange the bar-coded ticket 39 with bills and the like in a designated place of a game arcade (such as a cashier in a casino).

The card reader 36 can accept insertion of a smart card and is for reading data from the inserted smart card and writing data into the smart card. The smart card is the card carried by the player, which stores data for identifying the player, data concerning a history of games played by the player, and so forth.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the controller 40 and various instruments to be connected to this controller 40 provided in the slot machine 10 according to this embodiment. The controller 40 of the slot machine 10 shown in FIG. 8 is a microcomputer, which includes an interface circuit group 102, an input-output bus 104, a central processing unit (CPU) 106, a read-only memory (ROM) 108, a random access memory (RAM) 110, a communication interface circuit 111, a random number generating circuit 112, motor driving circuits 120 and 126, a speaker driving circuit 122, a hopper driving circuit 124, a display driving circuit 128, and a display controller 140.

The interface circuit group 102 is connected to the input-output bus 104. This input-output bus 104 executes input and output of data signals or address signals to and from the CPU 106.

The start switch 27 is connected to the interface circuit group 102. A start signal outputted from this start switch 27 is converted into a predetermined signal in the interface circuit group 102 and is then transmitted to the CPU 106 through the input-output bus 104.

The BET switch 25, the MAXBET switch 24, the spin repeat bet switch 26, the cash-out switch 23, and the respective sensors 7A to 7C are connected to the interface circuit group 102. Switching signals outputted from these switches 25, 24, 26, and 23 and sensor signals outputted from the sensors 7A to 7C are supplied to the interface circuit group 102, converted into predetermined signals in the interface circuit group 102, and then transmitted to the CPU 106 through the input-output bus 104.

A medal sensor 43 is connected to the interface circuit group 102. The medal sensor 43 is the sensor for detecting the medals inserted into the medal insertion slot 21 and is provided in a medal insertion region of the medal insertion slot 21. A detection signal outputted from this medal sensor 43 is supplied to the interface circuit group 102, then converted into a predetermined signal by this interface circuit group 102, and then transmitted to the CPU 106 through the input-output bus 104.

The touch panel 72 is connected to the interface circuit group 102. The touch panel 72 is for detecting touch operations by the player on a slot game area A1 (having nine areas in the embodiment) displayed in the lower display 16, and is provided to a face of the lower display 16. A position detection signal outputted from this touch panel 72 is supplied to the interface circuit group 102, then converted into a predetermined signal in the interface circuit group 102, and then transmitted to the CPU 106 through the input-output bus 104.

The ROM 108 for storing a system program and the RAM 110 for storing various data are connected to the input-output bus 104. Moreover, the random number generating circuit 112, the communication interface circuit 111, the motor driving circuits 120 and 126, the display controller 140, the hopper driving circuit 124, the speaker driving circuit 122, and the display driving circuit 128 are connected to the input-output bus 104.

The CPU 106 reads out of the ROM 108 a game execution program in the system program stored in the ROM 108 and executes a game by taking acceptance of pressing the start switch 27 as a trigger. The game execution program is for executing a slot game in the slot game area A1 of the lower display 16 by way of the motor driving circuit 120 and the display controller 140.

Specifically, the game execution program is programmed to execute a slot game that provides a payout when the symbols 5A to 5C that satisfy the winning combination are aligned on the payline L by scrolling symbols 5A to 5C in the slot game area A1 and then stopping the symbols 5A to 5C as a result of rotating and stopping the rotatable reels 3A to 3C.

The communication interface circuit 111 is connected to a hall server or the like and transmits data such as a history of the plays executed by this slot machine 10 to the hall server. Moreover, the communication interface circuit 111 receives various data transmitted from the hall server.

The random number generating circuit 112 generates a random number for determining whether or not it is appropriate to generate a winning combination in the slot game executed in the slot game area A1.

The display driving circuit 128 performs control to cause the payout count display region 48 defined in the lower left region of the lower display 16 to display a payout count by use of the liquid crystal display panel 17.

The speaker driving circuit 122 outputs audio data to the speaker 29. Specifically, the CPU 106 reads the audio data stored in the ROM 108 and transmits the audio data to the speaker driving circuit 122 through the input-output bus 104. In this way, predetermined sound effects are outputted from the speaker 29.

The hopper driving circuit 124 outputs a payout signal to a hopper 44 when a cash-out occurs. Specifically, when the a cash-out signal is inputted from the cash-out switch 23, the CPU 106 outputs a drive signal to the hopper driving circuit 124 through the input-output bus 104. In this way, the hopper 44 cashes out the medals corresponding to the remaining number of credits stored in a given memory area of the RAM 110 at that time point.

The motor driving circuit 120 controls execution of a slot game by use of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C in the slot game area A1 of the lower display 16. For this purpose, the motor driving circuit 120 incorporates a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM for the reels. The CPU 106 generates an image display instruction signal for the slot game area A1 in response to a state of the slot game and an outcome of the slot game, and outputs this image display instruction signal to the motor driving circuit 120 through the input-output bus 104. When the image display instruction signal outputted from the CPU 106 is inputted to the motor driving circuit 120, the motor driving circuit 120 generates drive signals for causing the stepping motors 45A to 45C to rotate the respective rotatable reels 3A to 3C according to this image display instruction and outputs the generated drive signals to the respective stepping motors 45A to 45C. In this way, the symbols 5A to 5C disposed on portions of the circumferential surfaces of the respective rotatable reels 3A to 3C are displayed in the slot game area A1.

The motor driving circuit 126 performs control to move the respective sensors 7A to 7C over the entire lengths of the identifiers 6A to 6C in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C. The CPU 106 generates an instruction signal for moving the respective sensors 7A to 7C and outputs this instruction signal to the motor driving circuit 126 through the input-output bus 104. When the instruction signal outputted from the CPU 106 is inputted to the motor driving circuit 126, the motor driving circuit 126 generates drive signals for causing the stepping motors 8A to 8C to move the respective sensors 7A to 7C with this instruction, and outputs the generated drive signals to the respective stepping motors 8A to 8C. In this way, the identification information in the entire length in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C is read out of the identifiers 6A to 6C corresponding to the symbols 5A to 5C that are displayed in the slot game area A1, and that are stopped on the payline L by use of the respective sensors 7A to 7C.

The display controller 140 performs control of display by use of the liquid crystal display panel 17. Specifically, the CPU 106 generates an image display instruction signal corresponding to an image to be displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 17, and outputs this image display instruction signal to the display controller 140 through the input-output bus 104. When the image display instruction signal outputted from the CPU 106 is inputted to the display controller 140, the display controller 140 generates a drive signal for driving the liquid crystal display panel 17 with this image display instruction, and outputs the generated drive signal to the liquid crystal display panel 17. In this way, a desired image is displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 17.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the liquid crystal display panel 17 viewed from the back face thereof. FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the liquid crystal display panel 17 shown in FIG. 6 which is viewed from the front face side thereof. It is to be noted that some constituents shown in FIG. 6 are omitted in FIG. 7.

The liquid crystal display panel 17 is formed into the shape and the size corresponding to the lower display 16. As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the liquid crystal display panel 17 is formed by stacking a liquid crystal unit 74, a light guiding plate 75, and a reflecting film 76 sequentially from the front side of the slot machine 10.

The liquid crystal unit 74 is formed by encapsulating liquid crystal in a clearance between a transparent substrate, such as a glass plate provided with a thin film transistor layer, and another transparent substrate opposed thereto. This liquid crystal unit 74 is set to display a white color in a normal state, i.e. in an inactive state when not performing liquid crystal display. For this reason, the liquid crystal unit 74 is set to the white display in the inactive state when the liquid crystal is not driven, and light transmitted toward a display surface is made visible from outside. In order to render the rotatable reels 3A to 3C visible to the player, a central section of the liquid crystal unit 74 is always set to the inactive state and rendered transparent.

The light guiding plate 75 guides light from fluorescent lamps 77 a and 77 b to the liquid crystal unit 74 to illuminate the liquid crystal unit 74. To be more precise, the light guiding plate 75 is made of a transparent member, such as acrylic resin having a thickness of about 2 cm and having a light guiding function. Here, the fluorescent lamps 77 a and 77 b are respectively fitted to an upper end surface and a lower end surface of the light guiding plate 75 by use of lamp holders 79 a to 79 d.

The reflecting film 76 uses a transparent film, such as a polyester film, as a base material and includes a non-reflective region 76B having a shape, a layout, and a size corresponding to the slot game area A1 in the center, and a reflective region 76A around the non-reflective region 76B. The non-reflective region 76B constitutes a light-transmitting surface made solely of the base material while the reflective region 76A constitutes a light-reflecting surface formed by depositing a thin film of aluminum or silver on one surface of the base material.

When part of the light of the fluorescent lamps 77 a and 77 b guided from the upper end surface and the lower end surface of the light guiding plate 75 to the inside of the light guiding plate 75 is emitted from the back face of the light guiding plate 75 to the outside, the reflective region 76A of this reflecting film 76 reflects the light toward the light guiding plate 75 to allow the light to be incident again from the back face to the inside of the light guiding plate 75, thereby emitting light from the front face thereof toward the transparent liquid crystal unit 74.

Fluorescent lamps 78 a and 78 b are supported on the back face side of the reflecting film 76 by use of lamp holders 79 e to 79 h. These fluorescent lamps 78 a and 78 b illuminate the circumferential surfaces of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C from above and below the rotatable reels 3A to 3C.

A display plate 73 is disposed on the front side of the liquid crystal unit 74, and the touch panel 72 is disposed on the front side of this display plate 73. The touch panel 72 is for accepting operations and the like by the player and is made of a transparent material. The display plate 73 is a section where various pictures, characters, and the like are drawn and is made of a transparent material. The pictures, the characters, and the like are formed in the section of the lower display 16 excluding the slot game area A1. Accordingly, the player can visually check the pictures, the characters, and the like drawn at the section of the lower display 16 excluding the slot game area A1 when playing the slot machine 10. Here, it is also possible to omit the display plate 73.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory view showing symbol layouts of the winning combinations. As shown in FIG. 15, a bonus game is started when “7” symbols 5A to 5C are aligned on the payline L. A payout equivalent to 15 medals is provided when “APPLE” symbols are aligned thereon. A payout equivalent to 10 medals is provided when “BELL” symbols are aligned thereon. A payout equivalent to 2 medals is provided when a “CHERRY” symbol is stopped in the display region on the left side.

Next, operations of the slot machine according to this embodiment will be described with reference to flowcharts shown in FIG. 9 to FIG. 14. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing procedures of a slot game execution processing executed by the CPU 106 shown in FIG. 8 in accordance with a game execution program stored in the ROM 108.

First, the CPU 106 executes a bet acceptance processing for accepting a bet of credits for a slot game (Step S11). In this bet acceptance processing, the number of bet credits is assessed by detecting a pressing operation of the MAXBET switch 24, the BET switch 25 or the spin repeat bet switch 26 by the player. Then, the CPU 106 subtracts the bet credits from current credits (Step S13). For example, in a case where a bet in the number of “30” is executed when the current number of credits is equal to “50”, then the credits are reduced to “20” as a result of the subtraction.

Credits to be bet on the slot game can also be accepted by insertion of medals into the medal insertion slot 21 by the player. In this case, the CPU 106 recognizes the number of medals that the player inserts into the medal insertion slot 21 as the number of bet credits. When acceptance of the credits bet on the slot game is fulfilled by a pressing operation of the MAXBET switch 24, the BET switch 25 or the spin repeat bet switch 26 by the player, it is not necessary to subtract the credits as stated in Step S13.

Subsequently, the CPU 106 executes a bet processing for betting the credits accepted in Step S11 on the slot game (Step S15). Then, after completing the bet processing of the credits on the slot game, the CPU 106 judges whether or not the start switch 27 is turned on by the player (Step S17), and executes the slot game when the start switch 27 is turned on (Step S19).

Next, procedures of the slot game will be described with reference to FIG. 10. First, the CPU 106 judges whether a bonus flag is set to “0” or “1” (Step S21). The bonus flag is set to “1” when a bonus game is executed, which is initially set to “0”.

Subsequently, the CPU 106 scrolls the symbols 5A to 5C by rotating the rotatable reels 3A to 3C. Then, after a lapse of a predetermined time period, the CPU 106 stops the rotatable reels 3A to 3C to terminate scrolling of the symbols 5A to 5C (Step S23).

Then, the CPU 106 executes a stopped symbol identification processing for identifying the contents of the symbols 5A to 5C stopped on the payline L (Step S24). Details of this processing will be described later with reference to FIG. 13. Next, according to the result of identification in Step S24, the CPU 106 judges whether or not the “7” symbols 5A to 5C indicating a bonus trigger are aligned on the payline L (Step S25). The bonus trigger is established when the “7” symbols 5A to 5C are aligned on the payline L, and the CPU 106 executes a bonus game starting processing (Step S26). The bonus game starting processing will be described later with reference to FIG. 11.

When the “7” symbols 5A to 5C are not aligned on the payline L, the CPU 106 judges whether or not the symbols 5A to 5C satisfying any of the winning combinations are aligned on the payline L (Step S27). When the symbols 5A to 5C satisfying the winning combination are aligned on the payline L, a payout is provided in the number corresponding to the winning combination (Step S28). Then, the slot game is terminated. When the payout is provided, the medals in the amount equivalent to this payout may be paid out of the medal payout opening or the credits in the amount equivalent to the payout may be added to the current credits.

On the contrary, when the symbols 5A to 5C satisfying the winning combination are not aligned on the payline L, the CPU 106 does not provide a payout. Instead, the CPU 106 executes a fraud monitoring processing for monitoring presence of fraudulent rotation of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C (Step S29). This fraud monitoring processing will be described later with reference to FIG. 14. After the fraud monitoring processing is completed, the CPU 106 terminates the slot game. In this embodiment, the fraud monitoring processing (Step S29) is supposed to be executed when a result of the judgment in Step S27 is NO. However, the present invention is not limited only to this configuration. It is also possible to execute the fraud monitoring processing (Step S29) after Step S28.

Next, procedures for the bonus game starting processing will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. 11. When the “7” symbols 5A to 5C are aligned on the payline L and thus the bonus trigger is established in the procedure of Step S25 in FIG. 10, the bonus flag is set to “1” (Step S31 in FIG. 11).

Thereafter, the CPU 106 determines the number T of bonus games (Step S32). The game number T may be set to 50 games, for example. The game number T may be always set to a constant number of games, or may be randomly determined by the CPU 106 each time. This game number “T” is stored in the RAM 110.

Subsequently, the payout corresponding to the established bonus trigger is provided (Step S33). In this procedure, either 15 medals or the credits equivalent to 15 medals will be paid out. Then, this processing is terminated.

When the bonus flag is set to “1” in the bonus game starting processing shown in FIG. 11, the result in Step S21 in FIG. 10 is equal to “1” in a subsequent slot game because the bonus flag remains equal to “1”. Accordingly, a bonus game execution processing is executed (Step S22).

Now, the bonus game execution processing will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. 12. When the bonus game is executed, the CPU 106 scrolls the symbols 5A to 5C by rotating the rotatable reels 3A to 3C. Then, after a lapse of a predetermined time period, the CPU 106 stops the rotatable reels 3A to 3C to terminate scrolling of the symbols 5A to 5C (Step S41). This procedure is the same as Step S23 in FIG. 10.

Then, the CPU 106 executes a stopped symbol identification processing for identifying the contents of the symbols 5A to 5C stopped on the payline L (Step S42). This Step S42 is the same processing as Step S24 in FIG. 10. Details of the processing will be described later with reference to FIG. 13.

Next, according to a result of identification in Step S42, the CPU 106 judges whether or not the symbols 5A to 5C satisfying any of the winning combinations are aligned on the payline L (Step S43). When the symbols 5A to 5C satisfying the winning combination are aligned on the payline L, a payout is provided in the number corresponding to the winning combination (Step S44). On the contrary, the CPU 106 does not provide a payout when the symbols 5A to 5C satisfying the winning combination are not aligned on the payline L.

Thereafter, the CPU 106 decrements the game number “T” to “T−1” (Step S45).

The CPU 106 judges whether or not the game number “F” stored in the RAM 110 satisfies “T=0” (Step S46). When the game number satisfies “T=0”, the CPU 106 sets the bonus flag to “0” (Step S47). To be more precise, when the predetermined bonus game number is consumed, the CPU 106 sets the bonus flag to “0” and executes a fraud monitoring processing (Step S49) for monitoring presence of fraudulent rotation of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C. When the game number “T” stored in the RAM 110 does not satisfy “T=0”, the CPU 106 executes the fraud monitoring processing (Step S49) without carrying out Step S47. This fraud monitoring processing (Step S49) is the same as the fraud monitoring processing in Step S29 in FIG. 10, which will be described later with reference to FIG. 14. After the fraud monitoring processing is completed, the CPU 106 terminates the bonus game.

Next, the stopped symbol identification processing executed in Step S24 in FIG. 10 will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. 13. This processing is executed at a time point when the scrolling of the symbols 5A to 5C is terminated by stopping the rotatable reels 3A to 3C.

First, the CPU 106 moves the respective sensors 7A to 7C over the entire lengths of the identifiers 6A to 6C in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C (Step S51). Next, the CPU 106 acquires the identification information read out of the relevant identifiers 6A to 6C by use of the respective sensors 7A to 7C during this movement (Step S53). Lastly, the CPU 106 identifies the symbols 5A to 5C displayed in the slot game area A1 and stopped on the payline L by use of the identification information acquired by the respective sensors 7A to 7C (Step S55).

Subsequently, the fraud monitoring processing to be executed in Step S29 in FIG. 10 and in Step S49 in FIG. 12 will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. 14. In each of the Steps S29 and S49, the fraud monitoring processing will be repeatedly executed during a predetermined time period between the times after a time point when the scrolling of the symbols 5A to 5C is stopped by stopping the rotatable reels 3A to 3C and before a time point to start a subsequent slot game (including the bonus game).

First, the CPU 106 moves the respective sensors 7A to 7C over the entire lengths of the identifiers 6A to 6C in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C (Step S61). Next, the CPU 106 acquires the identification information read out of the relevant identifiers 6A to 6C by use of the respective sensors 7A to 7C during this movement (Step S63). Then, the CPU 106 identifies the symbols 5A to 5C displayed in the slot game area A1 and stopped on the payline L by use of the identification information acquired by the respective sensors 7A to 7C (Step S65). Next, a judgment is made as to whether or not the symbols 5A to 5C identified in Step S65 are the same as the symbols 5A to 5C identified in Step S55 of the first stopped symbol identification processing (Step S67). When the symbols 5A to 5C are not same as the symbols 5A to 5C identified in Step S55, a fraud flag is set to “1” (Step S69). This fraud flag is initially set to “0”. The CPU 106 can use the fraud flag set to “1” as a trigger to transmit data for notifying fraudulent rotation after stopping the rotatable reels 3A to 3C to the hall server. Moreover, the CPU 106 can use the fraud flag set to “1” as a trigger for controlling the slot machine 10 to establish a TILT state.

When the symbols 5A to 5C identified in Step S65 are same as the symbols 5A to 5C identified in Step S55, the CPU 106 judges whether or not there is a pressing operation of the MAXBET switch 24, the BET switch 25 or the spin repeat bet switch 26 by the player (Step S71). When there are no pressing operations of these switches 24 to 26 by the player, the processing returns to Step S61. When there is the pressing operation of any of the switches 24 to 26 by the player, the CPU 106 terminates the fraud monitoring processing.

In the slot machine 10 according to this embodiment configured as described above, a slot game is executed, in which the symbols 5A to 5C to be displayed in the slot game area A1 are scrolled by rotating and stopping the respective rotatable reels 3A to 3C. Then, the identification information of the identifiers 6A to 6C on the respective rotatable reels 3A to 3C is read by the respective sensors 7A to 7C either magnetically or optically during the predetermined time period from the time point when rotation of the respective rotatable reels 3A to 3C is stopped in the current slot game to the time point when rotation of the respective rotatable reels 3A to 3C is started in the next slot game.

When reading the identification information out of the identifiers 6A to 6C on the respective rotatable reels 3A to 3C, the respective sensors 7A to 7C are moved over the entire lengths of the identifiers 6A to 6C in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C by the operations of the sliders 9A to 9C caused by the power from the stepping motors 8A to 8C. In this way, the respective sensors 7A to 7C reads the complete identification information developed in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C out of the corresponding identifiers 6A to 6C. At this time, slight rotation of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C will not cause a trouble in the operation for reading the identification information unless relative position of the sensors 7A to 7C to the rotatable reels 3A to 3C in the direction of rotation of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C are changed in excess of the regions where the identifiers 6A to 6C are positioned.

Accordingly, even when the respective rotatable reels 3A to 3C are not in a resting state in terms of the direction of rotation at the time of the reading operation of the identification information out of the identifiers 6A to 6C by use of the respective sensors 7A to 7C, it is possible to read the complete identification information reliably by use of the sensors 7A to 7C and to accurately identify the contents of the symbols 5A to 5C displayed on the payline L in the slot game area A1.

In the slot machine 10 of this embodiment, the contents of the symbols 5A to 5C displayed on the payline L in the slot game area A1 identified by the identification information read out of the relevant identifiers 6A to 6C by use of the respective sensors 7A to 7C are used for the judgment as to whether or not the winning combination of the symbols 5A to 5C for providing a payout is aligned on the payline L.

In the slot machine 10 of this embodiment, the contents of the symbols 5A to 5C displayed on the payline L in the slot game area A1 identified by the identification information read out of the relevant identifiers 6A to 6C by use of the respective sensors 7A to 7C are also used for the judgment as to whether or not there is fraudulent rotation after stopping the rotatable reels 3A to 3B during the predetermined time period between the times after the time point when rotation of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C in the current slot game is stopped and the time point before rotation of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C in the next slot game is started.

It is also possible to omit the above-described configuration to identify the contents of the symbols 5A to 5C displayed on the payline L in the slot game area A1 by use of the identification information read out of the relevant identifiers 6A to 6C by the respective sensors 7A to 7C during the predetermined time period between the times after the time point when rotation of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C in the current slot game is stopped and the time point before rotation of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C in the next slot game is started in order to perform the judgment as to whether or not the rotatable reels 3A to 3C are fraudulently rotated after stopping.

Nevertheless, when a player attempts to fraudulently change the pattern of the symbols 5A to 5C displayed on the payline L in the slot game area A1 by rotating the rotatable reels 3A to 3C after rotation of the respective rotatable reels 3A to 3C is stopped, it is possible to recognize such an attempt by providing the above-described configuration.

Accordingly, when rotation of the respective rotatable reels 3A to 3C is stopped such that the symbols 5A to 5C are displayed in the slot game area A1 in the pattern not to provide a payout, it is possible to avoid alteration of the pattern of the symbols 5A to 5C displayed on the payline L in the slot game area A1 into a different pattern to provide a payout. Consequently, it is possible to prevent a situation that a player receives a payout fraudulently.

In this embodiment, description has been given of the case where the sensors 7A to 7C are moved in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C at the time of reading the identification information out of the respective identifiers 6A to 6C. However, depending on the types of the sensors 7A to 7C, it is also possible to read the identification information out of the identifiers 6A to 6C without moving the sensors 7A to 7C in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C.

Now, slot machines according to a second embodiment and a third embodiment of the present invention including the above-described features will be described below.

First, as shown in an explanatory view in FIG. 16, the slot machine of the second embodiment employs bar codes as the identifiers 6A to 6C. The slot machine of the second embodiment employs fixed laser bar code scanners as the sensors 7A to 7C. Moreover, the stepping motors 8A to 8C and the sliders 9A to 9C included in the slot machine 10 of the first embodiment are omitted in the slot machine of the second embodiment. Instead, the slot machine 10 of the second embodiment is configured not to move the sensors 7A to 7C in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C which is equivalent to the direction of development of the identification information of the identifiers 6A to 6C.

These laser bar code scanners are configured to emit reader light (a scanning signal) from a light-emitting diode over the entire lengths of the identifiers 6A to 6C in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C by moving an optical path of the reader light in a scanning direction by use of galvanometer mirrors, and to scan the identifiers 6A to 6C by use of this reader light. The reader light that scans the identifiers 6A to 6C is received as reflected light from the identifiers 6A to 6C by use of components of the laser bar code scanners, such as charge-coupled device (CCD) line sensors, and then decoded into the identification signals corresponding to the contents of the identification information.

Next, as shown in an explanatory view in FIG. 17, the slot machine of the third embodiment employs information code elements as the identifiers 6A to 6C, the information code elements being designed for pattern recognition of 2 bits×multiple rows that are different from the bar codes. Each of the information code elements can employ a format that contains 2-bit information by marking a square frame in white or black. Moreover, the slot machine of the third embodiment employs reflective linear photosensor arrays corresponding to the number of rows in the information code elements as the sensors 7A to 7C. Here, the sensors 7A to 7C are fixed as similar to those of the slot machine of the second embodiment.

As shown in a block diagram in FIG. 18, the respective slot machines of the second embodiment and the third embodiment with the fixed sensors 7A to 7C include a controller 40A which is equivalent to the controller 40 of the slot machine 10 of the first embodiment except that the motor driving circuit 126 is excluded therefrom. The CPU 106 of this controller 40A performs almost identical processing to those executed by the CPU 106 of the controller 40 of the slot machine 10 according to the first embodiment. However, the contents of the stopped symbol identification processing to be executed in Step S24 in FIG. 10 by the CPU 106 of the first embodiment (FIG. 13) and the contents of the fraud monitoring processing to be executed in Step S29 in FIG. 10 and Step S49 in FIG. 12 (FIG. 14) are slightly different from contents shown in flowcharts in FIG. 19 and FIG. 20.

Specifically, in the respective slot machines of the second embodiment and the third embodiment, the sensors 7A to 7C are fixed while the stepping motors 8A to 8C as well as the sliders 9A to 9C are omitted as described previously. For this reason, in terms of the respective slot machines of the second embodiment and the third embodiment, in the stopped symbol identification processing to be executed in Step S24 in FIG. 10 by the CPU 106 of the controller 40A and the fraud monitoring processing to be executed in Step S29 in FIG. 10 and Step S49 in FIG. 12, the procedures for moving the respective sensors 7A to 7C in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C (which correspond to Step S51 in FIG. 13 and Step S61 in FIG. 14) are omitted as shown in the flowcharts in FIG. 19 and FIG. 20, respectively.

In the slot machine of the second embodiment configured as described above, the respective sensors 7A to 7C emit the reader light over the entire lengths of the identifiers 6A to 6C in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C when reading the identification information out of the identifiers 6A to 6C on the respective rotatable reels 3A to 3C, and scan the identifiers 6A to 6C by use of this reader light. In the slot machine of the third embodiment, the reflective linear photosensor arrays constituting the respective sensors 7A to 7C detect presence of the information code elements of the rows corresponding to the respective identifiers 6A to 6C when reading the identification information out of the identifiers 6A to 6C on the respective rotatable reels 3A to 3C. Thus, in any of the slot machines according to the second embodiment and the third embodiment, the respective sensors 7A to 7C read the identification information developed in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C completely out of the relevant identifiers 6A to 6C. At this time, slight rotation movement of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C will not cause a trouble in the operation for reading the identification information unless relative positions of the sensors 7A to 7C to the rotatable reels 3A to 3C in the direction of rotation of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C are changed in excess of the regions where the identifiers 6A to 6C are positioned.

Accordingly, in any of the slot machines of the second embodiment and the third embodiment, even when the respective rotatable reels 3A to 3C are not in a resting state in terms of the direction of rotation at the time of the reading operation of the identification information out of the identifiers 6A to 6C by use of the respective sensors 7A to 7C, it is possible to read the complete identification information reliably by use of the sensors 7A to 7C without being affected by the condition, and to accurately identify the contents of the symbols 5A to 5C displayed on the payline L in the slot game area A1. Thus, when judging the presence of fraudulent rotation of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C by repeatedly reading the identification information out of the identifiers 6A to 6C by use of the sensors 7A to 7C during the predetermined time period between the times after stopping rotation of the respective rotatable reels 3A to 3C and before starting rotation again, it is possible to suppress erroneous detection of slight rotation of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C after stopping as occurrence of fraudulent rotation. In this way, it is possible to have high determination accuracy for fraudulent rotation of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C.

Although the slot machine and the control method of a slot machine of the present invention have been described according to the embodiments with reference to accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that the preset invention is not limited only to the embodiments described herein. The configurations of the constituents can be replaced by other arbitrary configurations having similar functions.

For example, the embodiments describe the case where the slot game area A1 of the lower display 16 includes the display regions having the matrix of 3 columns and 3 rows. However, the present invention is not limited only to this configuration and is applicable to a slot machine having a slot game area including display regions having a matrix other than 3-by-3, such as a matrix having 5 rows and 5 columns. Moreover, the present invention is also applicable to a slot machine including a slot game area defined by different numbers of rows and columns, such as display regions having a matrix of 5 rows and 3 columns.

Further, it is possible to set a single payline or multiple paylines in arbitrary directions including vertical, horizontal, and oblique (including a V shape or an inverted V shape) directions depending on the configuration of the matrix of the slot game area. In addition, it is also possible to increase the number of the paylines that provide a payout upon alignment of the symbols 5A to 5C satisfying a winning combination depending on the number of bet credits. The present invention is applicable to any of these slot machines.

Moreover, the respective embodiments described above are based on the assumption that the identifiers 6A to 6C are drawn on the front faces of the reel bands 4 together with the symbols 5A to 5C corresponding thereto. For this reason, the sensors 7A to 7C are disposed outside the rotatable reels 3A to 3C so as to cause the sensors 7A to 7C to read the identification information out of the identifiers 6A to 6C from the outside of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C.

However, it is also possible to draw the identifiers 6A to 6C on the back side of the reel bands 4 and to expose the identifiers 6A to 6C to the inside of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C. Accordingly, it is possible to dispose the sensors 7A to 7B inside the rotatable reels 3A to 3C so as to cause the sensors 7A to 7C to read the identification information out of the identifiers 6A to 6C from the inside of the rotatable reels 3A to 3C.

The respective embodiments described above are based on the assumption that the judgment is made as to whether or not the symbols 5A to 5C identified in Step S67 in FIG. 14 are the same as the symbols 5A to 5C identified in Step S55 in the first stopped symbol identification processing. However, when the symbols 5A to 5C identified in Step S65 are already present, it is possible to compare the symbols 5A to 5C identified in Step S65 in the precedent round with those identified in Step S65 in the current round. For example, it is possible to judge whether or not the symbols 5A to 5C identified in Step S65 in a first round are the same as the symbols 5A to 5C identified in Step S65 in a second round.

In the detailed description stated above, the characteristic features of the present invention have been mainly described in order to facilitate understanding of the present invention. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments associated with the detailed description stated above. The present invention is also applicable to other embodiments in various application ranges. Moreover, the terms and the diction used in this identification have been for accurately describing the present invention and are not therefore used to restrict interpretation of the present invention. Moreover, it is deemed easy for those skilled in the art to estimate other configurations, systems, and method encompassed by the concepts of the present invention from the teachings of the concepts of the present invention which are expressly described in this identification. Hence, the description of the appended claims should be deemed to include other equivalent configurations without departing from the technical scope of the present invention. Moreover, the purpose of the abstract of the disclosure attached hereto is to allow the patent offices, public institutions, engineers and others pertinent to the technical field without having full knowledge of patent systems, legal terms or technical terms, to assess the technical contents and the gist of the present invention promptly by means of simple investigation. Accordingly, it is not intended to provide the abstract in order to limit the scope of the present invention which should be evaluated by the appended claims. Moreover, in order to fully understand the object of the preset invention and the effects unique to the present invention, this specification should be interpreted with full reference to previously disclosed documents related hereto.

The detailed description stated above includes processing to be executed by use of a computer. The above description and expression have been made for the purpose of enabling those skilled in the art to understand the present invention most efficiently. In this specification, the respective steps used for inducing one result should be understood as the self-consistent processing. Moreover, electric or magnetic signals are transmitted, received, and recorded in these steps. In the processing in the respective steps, the signals are expressed in the forms of bits, values, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, and the like. However, it is to be noted that these forms are used simply because of the convenience of description. Furthermore, the processing in the respective steps has been described from time to time by using the expressions common to human behaviors. Nevertheless, it is to be understood that the processing described in this specification is basically supposed to be executed by various devices. In addition, other configurations required for performing the respective steps are to be obvious from the aforementioned description. 

1. A slot machine comprising: a rotatable reel being rotatable and stoppable; a reel band fitted to a circumferential surface of the rotatable reel and including a plurality of symbols and a plurality of identifiers respectively positioned corresponding to the symbols, the symbols and the identifiers being drawn on the reel band; a display adapted to display part of the reel band; a sensor configured to read identification information developed in a direction of a rotation axis of the rotatable reel and having a content corresponding to one of the symbols drawn on the part of the reel band displayed in the display out of one of the identifiers positioned corresponding to the symbol displayed in the display; and a controller configured to (a) execute a unit game for rotating and stopping the rotatable reel, (b) move the sensor in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reel when the rotatable reel is stopped, (c) identify one of the symbols displayed in the display according to the identification information read out of corresponding one of the identifiers over an entire length in the direction of the rotation axis by the sensor moved in the direction of the rotation axis when the rotatable reel is stopped, and (d) determine an outcome of the unit game according to the identified symbol.
 2. The slot machine according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to repeatedly move the sensor in the direction of the rotation axis during a predetermined period from a stop until a subsequent start of rotations of the rotatable reel, identify the symbols displayed in the display for respective time points of readout by the sensor during the predetermined period according to the identification information read out of the corresponding identifiers by the sensor for the respective movements in the direction of the rotation axis, and judge whether or not the rotatable reel is rotated during the predetermined period according to the symbols identified for the time points of readout by the sensor during the predetermined period.
 3. A slot machine comprising: a rotatable reel being rotatable and stoppable; a reel band fitted to a circumferential surface of the rotatable reel and including a plurality of symbols and a plurality of identifiers respectively positioned corresponding to the symbols, the symbols and the identifiers being drawn on the rotatable reel; a display adapted to display part of the reel band; a sensor configured to read identification information developed in a direction of a rotation axis of the rotatable reel and having a content corresponding to one of the symbols drawn on the part of the reel band displayed in the display out of one of the identifiers positioned corresponding to the symbol displayed in the display by scanning the identifier with a scanning signal; and a controller configured to (a) execute a unit game for rotating and stopping the rotatable reel, (b) move the scanning signal in the direction of the rotation axis when the rotatable reel is stopped, (c) identify one of the symbols displayed in the display according to the identification information read out of corresponding one of the identifiers scanned over an entire length in the direction of the rotation axis with the scanning signal moved in the direction of the rotation axis by the sensor when the rotatable reel is stopped, (d) determine an outcome of the unit game according to the identified symbol, (e) repeatedly move the scanning signal in the direction of the rotation axis during a predetermined period from a stop until a subsequent start of rotations of the rotatable reel, (f) identify the symbols displayed in the display for respective time points of readout by the sensor during the predetermined period according to the identification information read out of the corresponding identifiers by the sensor for the respective movements of the scanning signal in the direction of the rotation axis, and (g) judge whether or not the rotatable reel is rotated during the predetermined period according to the symbols identified for the time points of readout by the sensor during the predetermined period.
 4. A slot machine comprising: a rotatable reel being rotatable and stoppable; a reel band fitted to a circumferential surface of the rotatable reel and including a plurality of symbols and a plurality of identifiers respectively positioned corresponding to the symbols, the symbols and the identifiers being drawn on the reel band; a display adapted to display part of the reel band; a sensor configured to read identification information developed in a direction of a rotation axis of the rotatable reel and having a content corresponding to one of the symbols drawn on the part of the reel band displayed in the display out of one of the identifiers positioned corresponding to the symbol displayed in the display; and a controller configured to (a) execute a unit game for rotating and stopping the rotatable reel, (b) identify one of the symbols displayed in the display according to the identification information read out of corresponding one of the identifiers over an entire length in the direction of the rotation axis by the sensor when the rotatable reel is stopped, (c) determine an outcome of the unit game according to the identified symbol, (d) identify the symbols displayed in the display for respective time points of readout by the sensor during a predetermined period from a stop until a subsequent start of rotations of the rotatable reel according to the identification information read out of the corresponding identifiers over an entire length in the direction of the rotation axis by the sensor during the predetermined period, and (e) judge whether or not the rotatable reel is rotated during the predetermined period according to the symbols identified for the time points of readout by the sensor during the predetermined period.
 5. A method of controlling a slot machine, the method comprising the steps of: executing a unit game for rotating and stopping a rotatable reel having a reel band, the reel band fitted to a circumferential surface of the rotatable reel and including a plurality of symbols and a plurality of identifiers respectively positioned corresponding to the symbols, the symbols and the identifiers being drawn on the reel band; moving a sensor in a direction of a rotation axis of the rotatable reel when the rotatable reel is stopped, the sensor configured to read identification information developed in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reel and having a content corresponding to one of the symbols drawn on part of the reel band displayed in the display out of one of the identifiers positioned corresponding to the symbol displayed in the display; reading the identification information out of one of the identifiers positioned corresponding to one of the symbols displayed in the display on the reel band over an entire length in the direction of the rotation axis by the sensor moved in the direction of the rotation axis when the rotatable reel is stopped; identifying the one of the symbols displayed in the display when the rotatable reel is stopped according to the identification information read out by the sensor when the rotatable reel is stopped; and determining an outcome of the unit game according to the identified symbol.
 6. The method of controlling a slot machine according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of: repeatedly moving the sensor in the direction of the rotation axis during a predetermined period from a stop until a subsequent start of rotations of the rotatable reel; identifying the symbols displayed in the display for respective time points of readout by the sensor during the predetermined period according to the identification information read out of the corresponding identifiers for the respective movements in the direction of the rotation axis by the sensor; and judging whether or not the rotatable reel is rotated during the predetermined period according to the symbols identified for the time points of readout by the sensor during the predetermined period.
 7. A method of controlling a slot machine, the method comprising the steps of: executing a unit game for rotating and stopping a rotatable reel having a reel band, the reel band fitted to a circumferential surface of the rotatable reel and including a plurality of symbols and a plurality of identifiers respectively positioned corresponding to the symbols, the symbols and the identifiers drawn on the reel band; allowing a sensor, which reads identification information developed in a direction of a rotation axis of the rotatable reel and having a content corresponding to one of the symbols drawn on part of the reel band displayed in the display out of one of the identifiers positioned corresponding to the symbol displayed in the display, to move a scanning signal in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reel when the rotatable reel is stopped, the scanning signal output by the sensor for reading the identification information; reading, by the sensor, the identification information out of one of the identifiers over an entire length in the direction of the rotation axis, the identifier positioned corresponding to one of the symbols displayed in the display and scanned with the scanning signal moved in the direction of the rotation axis when the rotatable reel is stopped; identifying the one of the symbols displayed in the display when the rotatable reel is stopped according to the identification information read out by the sensor when the rotatable reel is stopped; determining an outcome of the unit game according to the identified symbol; repeatedly moving the scanning signal in the direction of the rotation axis during a predetermined period from a stop until a subsequent start of rotations of the rotatable reel; identifying the symbols displayed in the display for respective time points of readout by the sensor during the predetermined period according to the identification information read out of the corresponding identifiers by the sensor for the respective movements of the scanning signal in the direction of the rotation axis; and judging whether or not the rotatable reel is rotated during the predetermined period according to the symbols identified for the time points of readout by the sensor during the predetermined period.
 8. A method of controlling a slot machine, the method comprising the steps of: executing a unit game for rotating and stopping a rotatable reel having a reel band, the reel band fitted to a circumferential surface of the rotatable reel and including a plurality of symbols and a plurality of identifiers respectively positioned corresponding to the symbols, the symbols and the identifiers being drawn on the reel band; reading, by a sensor, identification information out of one of the identifiers positioned corresponding to one of the symbols drawn on part of the reel band displayed in a display over an entire length in a direction of the rotation axis when the rotatable reel is stopped, the identifier developed in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotatable reel and having a content corresponding to the symbol displayed in the display; identifying the one of the symbols displayed in the display when the rotatable reel is stopped according to the identification information read out by the sensor when the rotatable reel is stopped; determining an outcome of the unit game according to the identified symbol; identifying the symbols displayed in the display for respective time points of readout by the sensor during a predetermined period from a stop until a subsequent start of rotations of the rotatable reel according to the identification information repeatedly read out of the corresponding identifiers over the entire length in the direction of the rotation axis by the sensor; and judging whether or not the rotatable reel is rotated during the predetermined period according to the symbols identified for the time points of readout by the sensor during the predetermined period. 